


Crawl Out Through The Fallout

by akrasiq



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 76
Genre: Angst, Apocalypse, Fluff, Other, Post-Apocalypse, Vault 76, Wasteland
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-15
Updated: 2019-10-15
Packaged: 2020-12-16 21:22:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21042983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/akrasiq/pseuds/akrasiq
Summary: Almost exactly one year ago, Vault 76 opened its doors for Reclamation Day - something that changed and ended countless lives, hoping to rebuild a safe place for future generations. Throughout those first months, former vault dweller Emmaline Haines has turned into a sole survivor . . . that is, until some of her supplies go missing and she discovers signs of human existence in the wasteland.Was the overseer wrong? Did people outside the vault survive the war? Or is our loner simply going crazy?





	Crawl Out Through The Fallout

**Author's Note:**

> Hello vault dwellers & wastelanders!  
This is my first story in ages and I'm still a bit rusty but I was so inspired to write this piece. Hope you enjoy it!

Damp strands of unruly blonde hair fell into the female's face but she wasn't even thinking about brushing them aside. She was too busy observing her very own little shack before her eyes, scared she might miss the tiniest movement.

It was the fifth time in two that something was missing from her stash. Emmaline Haines was, by all means, no selfish woman who would deny a fellow vault dweller a part of her hard found rations - no, not at all. In fact, she always liked to leave some supplies out there to feed another hungry mouth since she tended to own way more than she could consume herself.

It actually seemed like at least one of them would be making use of her offer as, whenever she would return after a trip, some of her food and water supplies were gone. In return, the stranger would leave a small bouquet of flowers. The sweetest way to say Thank You. A naturally curious woman, Haines quickly developed the urge to find out who would leave those gifts at her door since they would never appear on her Pip-Boy map whenever she took a look at it - which, of course, indicated that the stranger did not own a device like this and therefore wasn't a fellow vault dweller . . . but that wasn't possible. Everyone else was dead. Or at least that was what they thought and Haines had no reason to think otherwise. _Yet._

Suddenly, there was a movement. Right _inside_ the little cabin - a shadow, flickering lights . . . more than enough evidence than she needed to know that her little "thief" had returned. The only question was, how did they get inside? The blonde had been watching the whole time, merely even blinking.

One of her exhausted cerulean optics kept staring through the scope of her weapon to watch the foreign entity, attempting to recognise a face or anything else that would help her identify the stranger but all she could see was their dark shadow. It was then that she decided to carefully descend from the cliff she had been hiding on, slowly approaching the camp she called her own. And despite (or maybe because) this was going to be her first interaction with another human being in weeks, she kept her weapon close, prepared to use it, should she need to.

A pale hand reaches for the doorknob, turning it slowly, until the interior of the cabin was revealed to her. Just to find it _empty_. Nothing and nobody in the living room, the kitchen, the bathroom or the bedroom.

_All empty._

A deep breath left Haines' rosy lips, as she lowered her weapon. She was both disappointed and relieved. And if she was being honest, she could have used a little socialising lest to go absolutely crazy.

Maybe it was too late for that, though.

( . . . )

Muscles were tightening with every second that passed, chest rising and falling with every breath, sweat glistening on her forehead with every pant. Sleep had never been her friend but lately it's been even worse. Nightmares, ghoul faces and voices of the fallen were haunting her every night, denying Haines all the rest she needed.

Blue eyes fluttered open as she sat up straight, breathing heavily. She reached for the bottle of water she would always keep close to her bed for nights like these, only to find the bottle like her cabin a few hours ago: _empty_. She must've forgotten to refill it earlier that day. Great.

One of her hands moved to wipe the sweat from her forehead before she pushed her black glasses back onto her nose and made her way out of the bedroom, bare feet carrying her down the stairs, in order to get herself the drink she was craving. She hadn't checked the time but she knew that it was late - and she was tired. Incredibly tired and exhausted.

But all of that exhaustion faded away when she finally reached the kitchen, cerulean optics widening in shock. The plastic bottle dropped to the floor, rolling over the wooden floor until it was stopped by a little foot. One that wasn't bare. One that wasn't hers. Both faces displayed shock - one frozen in the doorframe and the other hanging over the bowl of tato salad Haines had prepared earlier.

That was _him_. The little thief. The intruder. The one that kept putting flowers on the kitchen table in exchange for some supplies.

But this person, standing in front of her like a radstag in the headlights, was very much unlike she had pictured him.

_He was just a little boy._


End file.
